Electric lighter



July 16, 1957 H. |v RINK ETAL ELECTRIC LIGHTER Filed Aug. 3,4953

3 Sheets-Sheel 1 Inventors Ibm/d Gon/V P# B Reyl'ln/d fila/1 Spesc July 16, 1957 Filed Aug.' :5, 1955 H. L. RINK ETAL ELECTRIC lI .IGi-ITEIR 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 In ventors Ham/d Leopold Rink Reginald/anun Spa/2C@ Attorney July16,1957 H. L Rmx Em. 2,799,810

ELECTRIC LIGHTER Filed Aug. 3, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Aiiorney nited States Patent @ffice ELECTRIC LIGHTER Harold L. Rink, Landfall, Bothenhampton, Bridport, and Reginald Farran Spence, Uxbridge, Melplash, England Application August 3, 1953, Serial No. 371,752

Claims priority, application Great Britain November 24, 1952 12 Claims. (Cl. 317-89) This invention concerns a new or improved electric lighter (for lighting, for example cigars, pipes, cigarettes, res, gas burners and the like) of the kind comprising a housing adapted to contain an electric battery or batteries, an inductor, a torch normally located in said housing and having a wick or the like for taking up a volatile ignitable fuel from a reservoir in said housing, and ignition contacts for connection to the said inductor and batteries and adapted to be operated, on the withdrawal of the said torch from the said housing, to create a spark to ignite the said wick. More particularly this invention concerns improvements in or modifications of the electric lighter forming the subject of our patent application Serial No. 214,911, now Patent Number 2,657,340, issued October 27, 1953.

The object of this invention is to provide an improved electric lighter of the kind referred to.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a readily assembled and disassembled electric lighter comprising a carrier unit and surrounding shell and wherein the igniting means is positioned on the carrier unit, the fuel compartment being disposed in said shell, whereby the carrier unit is entirely separable from the shell upon refueling of the fuel compartment thereby minimizing the risk of an explosion and accidental ignition of the fuel during refueling.

It is another object of the present invention to afford a compact electric lighter of great fuel capacity and wherein the fuel compartment is sealed from the remainder of the lighter, whereby evaporation of the fuel is avoided both within the interior of the lighter and externally from the latter.

It is a further object of the present invention to afford an electric lighter wherein the ignition contact means comprises spring means and mounting means connected to said spring means and aording lost motion prior to stressing of the latter whereby said ignition contact means remains permanently adjusted to thereby insure proper sparking of the lighter at all times.

lt is still an object of the present invention to provide an electric lighter wherein the electric igniting means is mounted on a separable carrier unit enclosed within the body of the lighter and insulated from the latter whereby the lighter is devoid of current leakage and the path of the current is regulated.

lt is yet an object of the present invention to provide a compact electric lighter comprising an electric igniting means carrier unit whereon the inductor coil is substantially axially disposed and the current supply means is radially disposed whereby the packaging of the current supply means and of the inductor coil within the lighter is improved and simplified thereby reducing manufacturing costs and simplifying the substitution and assembly of the inductor coil and of the current supply means.

it is still a further object of the present invention to afford an electric lighter wherein sparking and ignition of the torch occur solely during withdrawal of the torch from the lighter, the electric circuit remaining open at al1 other times, whereby accidental ignition of the torch is prevented.

Further features of the invention will become apparent from the following description of one embodiment of the invention and the appended claims.

In order that the invention may be more readily understood, one embodiment of the same will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a complete electric lighter constructed in accordance with this invention;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the lighter shown in Figure l with the torch removed and the parts of the outer shell of the lighter separated from one another and from the inductor and battery carrier of the lighter to expose the latter and part of the interior of the said shell;

Figure 3 is a vertical central section through the lighter shown in Figure l;

Figure 4 is a section on line IV-IV, Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a section on line V-V, Figure 3;

Figure 6 is an enlarged view of the upper end of the inductor and battery carrier and shows the ignition contact arrangement;

Figure 7 is a vertical sectional view showing the torch of the lighter; and

Figure 8 is a diagrammatic View showing the electric circuit of the lighter illustrated in Figures 1 to 7.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in the drawings the lighter comprises a hollow outer shell or housing l which is externally of approximately flat ended elipsoidal form, the shell being formed in two parts (marked respectively 2 and 3) meeting in a plane transverse to its axis, this plane being disposed rather nearer to one end (hereinafter referred to as the lower end) of the shell than to the other end thereof. The two parts 2 and 3 (hereinafter referred to as the upper and under parts of the shell) are complementary and substantially cup-shaped and they are respectively screw threaded at their meeting ends so that they can be screwed together. The under part 3 is annularly externally recessed at its upper end and externally screw threaded whilst the upper part 2 of the shell is internally screw threaded to receive the screw threaded portion of the under part of the shell.

The under part 3 of the shell 1 may also have a peripheral recess 4 at a short distance from its upper end to receive an annular band or ring 5 adapted to be trapped between the upper and under parts of the shell to provide a decorative iinish to the shell, this band preferably being of a colour different to that of the upper and under parts of the shell.

The upper part 2 of the shell has a central circular hole 6 and the wall 7 of this part of the shell curves inwardly and downwardly around the hole 6 to provide in the shell a iiared inlet to the hole 6. The shell also has, on the inside thereof and around the hole 6 an annular inverted U-shaped channel orair space S whose outer periphery is detined by the inner wall of an internal annular shoulder 9 provided around the upper inside part or' the upper part 2 of the shell 1.

The lower portion of the under part 3 of the shell 1 is internally of cylindrical ydish-like form and constitutes a shallow fuel reservoir 19 for the lighter. This reservoir terminates at its upper end in an annular shoulder 11- provided around the interior of the under part 3 of the shell and located less than half way up this part of the shell. This shoulder has in its upper surface an annular groove 12 in which is located a resilient, e. g. rubber, sealing washer 13 for a purpose hereinafter described. 0

On its upper surface the base 14 of the under part 3` of the shell 1 is furnished centrally with an upstanding projection 15 less in height than the depth of the reservoir.

10 and around which is located a helically coiled com* l Patented July 16, 19,57

pression spring-16 over the upper end of which is laid the central portion of a length of' tape-form wicl: 17. The end portions of this wick are folded down the sides of said Smilie. 1.6 and .laigoalonstho hottomo thHcscrvoir .1.0 asis-'clearly shown Y'in' Figure 3 of'tle drawin IThe, reservoir 1.0 is alleato .slishtlyhclow .lof oft-ilo top of thcictcroal .annular shoulder .1.14, with. .ana .sorbent Irlforial Such 2S Cotton woot Yfelt or other .uoolrishbros material which licS .allparouml thc sprinslo in contact with the wick 17 andisinteodcd to. absorbe volatile liquid lighter fuel auch petrol'. for example; Preferably/thc said absorbent -lling comprises a felt ring 18. i

A Adry batteryand indnctor carrier 19 is. also, provided and iSlQlcdf when. the .lighter .iS .asom 'n within the shell' 1. earlier.oo llllll'iSfY afubular Clitrol .Part or body .2..0' which .is .provided atfits upper an@ lower @nos 'respectively with; outwardly dirccd rsurlicraliilanecs laad .22... Th-11ans@ al is formed mtegrally with the body 2l! whilst. thc'ango. 22is dened byA the peripheral part of a separate. end plateor disc 23 which is detachably secured to the lowerv end of the tubular .body .2.0l by Screws. .24 or the like, the 'central portion of the undersidel .of this detachable end plate preferably being of sornewhat downwardly :conical or convex torni.. i

' The underside of the outer edge portion of the flange 2.2, of thc-.carrier 19 is furnished .with an annular down# wardly projecting V-shaped rib 2S which. iS. adapted, when the carrier is mounted in the. shell 1, to engage the. upper surface of the sealingring 13 carried in the annular groove 12 ijn the internal annular shoulder 11 of the under part 3 of the shell so as thereby peripherally to seal the reservoir `1.70, the said carrier being pressed (by rmeans :hereinafter described) downwardly towards the shoulder i1.

"With the carrier 1 9 engaged with the shoulder 11 as above described, the axial bore 2 6; of the carrier is cof. axial with the shell .1 and. at the lower end this. bore is co-axial with the projection 1 5 on the base "14 or the under part 3 of the shell.V The .lower extremity of bore. 26 is partially closed by an annular part. of Vthc plate .23 (fixed Vto the lower end of the tubularf body 20,) and commvuniates with a central hole in this plate.` The annular part of the plate 2,3-blear1s adjacent. hole 27 upon the portion of the wick 17 located over the topof the compression spring 41,6 so that this wick. substantiallycloses the hole `27 and thereby also the lower end of the b ore 26. i i

The inductor and battery carrier 19 is held in position in theshell 1 and is pressed downwardly to therehy'seal the reservoir 10. The pressure is exerted on the'uppr.

end of the carrier by the upper part of the shell 2 (wh-,en the Ylatter ViS .Screwed .downwardly on lo thcilriflcr Part ll of the shell) by resilient means 2.8, located betweenY the underside of the previously described iutelllll Shoulder 900.1; the upper shell part 2 and the peripheral flange. 3 3 of thev socket 3,1, described infra.

ooaxlallyf The said resilient meansY comprise, Yin ,the example illustrated, two arcuate upon the upper surface of the top. ange 21 of the carrier Y 19 and peripheral flange 33.of .socket 31. SpringsZS have their free .end portions bent or bowed upwardly for contact withl the internal annular shoulder 9. of the upper part 2 of the shell.

lThocarrier 1.9 aiofdsamoiiiltins for a tubular inductor. coil which .comprises a wir@ Winding. on .a tubular.- .Spool inserted coaxially in the bore Zoot tnetubularbody 20 of the carrier. The spool 791s retained in said tubular body20.125theeugagemento the upper-end. of the spool avaaolo with an internal annular shoulder 30 in the bore 26 of the tubular body 20 and (by the engagement of the other.

end of the spool with a resilient e. g. rubber sealing washer 13a located in an annular groove 12a in the detachable lower end plate 23 of the carrier. The electrical connections of the inductorV Coll kwill be described subsequently herein. Y

The upper end .of the carrier .19. is .provided with an ignition unit which ,comprises atubulansocketl formedL on or scoured to theuppor cod-.of thecarrior .19. and. having a bore 32 coaxial with those of the said tubular body 20 of the carrier and of the inductor coil'79. The said' tubular socket is preferably forrned Vsepar ately A(asbshown in the drawings) of the carrier 1,;9.taudis,r of hollow inverted cup form. Tubular socket 31 has an external peripheral ange 33 at its lower Vend for'securing the tubular socket 31 to the top llange 21 of the carrier 19 by the screws 29, described supra.

thclightcris.asscrnbled.theborezlof thesoekel 3.1. resistors with theccntral holefo in theuppcncndco the eil@ .3 outwardly tiered. andhasa maximum diameter. at its upnorctd apnroximatelyequal to, theimemal-.diameter 'ol llohol @,Q-,llehellpart .2. The bore` 32A is alsofurf.

Ilished .with .a Series. (e. g. tour) .of-. equi-.angular-ly spaced longitudinal ventilation grooves 35; which decrease 4in dplllor. QQIlVerge downwardly from the upper end .ofthe socket ,31. .towards .thelowerend of the .lattenthe grooves extending substantially from end Vtoencl of `the .borelo the socket. Thus the bore ofuthesocket is of .cruciforln cross-sectional form as is clearly seen from Figures Zan lof the, drawings.

A pair of spring metal wire ignition. contacts 36, 31 VQsee particularly Figures 4t ando) are arrangedin diametrically .opposite positions in the .socket 31 vapproximately Irlldway -betweenthe .upper and'l'owerends thereof. Y These contacts project radiallyinto the ybore 32 through a pair oi diametric-ally opposite `ventilation grooves 35. ofl the socket, the longitudinal Vouter walls or Ybases of these grooves being longitudinally slotted at 3S (Figures 2 4and 3) for theA free passage of the ignition contacts from/the interior of the socket 31 to the bore 32A thereof. f-

The ignition. contacts 36 and 37 have slightly downturned -free endsand respectively form a transverse extension of an end coil of a helically wound metal spring 39, 40. IEach of said springs is freelypositioned, with its'axis horizonta-Lin arecess 41 (see Figuresl 4 and 6) in -ab'earing block 42 provided at the upper end' of the carrier-I9 and projecting within the said hollow' socket 31. i

"The end coil of each of the springs 39 and 40 opposite to that at which the corresponding ignition contact or 37 is provided, has a transverse extension 43, 44 intended respectively for co-operation with xed metal' electric. terminals 45 and 46 (Figures 4 and 6,) arrangedr at dia" metrically opposite positions on the top of the carrier'1'9 and in series with the batteries and inductor of thelighter, as hereinafter explained.

"The springs 39 and 40 are retained in their bearing blocks 42 by radial blocks or webs 47 (Figures '3 ande) provided on the inside surface of the top of the tubular socket 31.

The lighter also includes a torch 415 which comprises a narrow metal tube 49 having a. slightly Hated' lower'end 50.; an ornamental heat 4insulating knob or handle 51 at the upper end of tube 49 and a wick 52..extending within tube 4.9 Yand protruding Slightly from the. are'dcrldfof the torch. This.. torch. is. .of Such length that; when in sorted through .thevbores of thesocket'l the wick at the-,llared-end. of the torchv will rest upon the reservoir wick 1,1 at the ktop of the V,fuel reservoir 10.;and

absorb tool fhorcfrom,l assuming that the .rcscrroirflllfhas been charged. with'a volatile liquid fact.. also. with the torch.. iu this. position in the lighten .the lower.. end ofknoh d carrier 19., Y

. or handle 51 will rest in and seal the ared upper end of the bore 32 of the socket unit 31 as a result of the engagement thereof with the walls of opening 6 and of upper end of bore 32 since the under part of the said knob or handle is suitably shaped for this purpose.

It will be appreciated from the foregoing description of this embodiment of the lighter, that the reservoir 10 is peripherally sealed by the engagement of carrier 19 with shoulder 11 while the central bore 26 of the carrier, the central bore of the inducto-r spool 79, and the central bore of the socket 31 all communicate with the reservoir. The bores of the tubular socket 31 and of spool 79 are only slightly larger in diameter than the external diameter of the flared end 5t? of the torch. The bore of the tubular socket 31 is, as previously explained coaxial with the bore of the carrier 19 and of spool 79 and with the central hole 6 in the upper end of the upper part 2 of the shell 1 of the lighter. Thus the central composite bore of the lighter as a whole is substantially continuous from its upper to its lower end, thereby ensuring that air will, on withdrawal of the torch 4S, be drawn by the torch (the flared end 50 of which acts rather like a piston) into the said composite bore via the ventilation grooves 35 in the socket 31 to produce a combustible mixture for ignition by a spark produced by the said ignition contacts. As there is no communication between the central composite bore of the lighter and the space within the shell 1 around the tubular body 2t), the escape of fuel vapours into this space with possible risk of explosion is minimised.

Externally the tubular body 2t) of the inductor and battery carrier 19 is furnished with longitudinal flutes 53 (see Figures 2 and 5 in particular) to provide six equiangularly spaced pockets for receiving and locating cylindrical batteries 54, the ribs 55 formed between these flutes separating and positioning the batteries.

Contacts are provided at the upper and lower ends of the said utes or pockets for engagement with the positive and negative poles of the said batteries 54 and to connect these batteries in series with the inductor coil. These contacts are all conveniently formed from springy sheet copper alloy. Thus, assuming that there are six pockets and therefore six batteries as shown, there will be six contacts at each end of the battery carrier. These spring metal contacts are secured on the inner surfaces of the upper and lower end anges 2l and 22 of the said carrier 19 and in each case comprise two pairs of connected contacts and two single contacts. The upper set of contacts is shown in Figure 4 and the lower set in Figure 5. The upper and lower sets of contacts are identical in form and arrangement, with the exception that the upper set is arranged rotationally one lute or pocket 53 in advance of the lower set. The upper contacts are marked 56, 57, 58, 59, 69 and 61, in Figure 4 and the lower contacts are similarly marked 56', 57', 58', 59', 60', and 61 in Figure 5. The upper contacts 56 and 59 and the lower contacts 56 and 59' are single contacts whilst the upper contacts 5'7, 5S and 69, 61 are formed as pairs as are-the lower contacts 57', 58 and 69', 61.

Each of the said pairs of contacts is formed from a single blank 62 (see lower part of Figure 5) of sheet metal stamped to an approximately W-shape, the outer arms 63 and 64 of this blank being doubled upon themselves to form the two resilient contacts (in this case 57 and 58'). The two single contacts of each set are each formed from (see top right hand part of Figure 5) a strip 65 of metal doubled upon itself, the turned over part of the strip forming the actual resilient contact (e. g. 59').

The single contacts 56 and 59 of the upper set of contacts are secured to the underside of the top ange 21 of the carrier 19 (as shown in Figure 4) respectively by metal bolts 66 and 67 carrying at their upper ends the fixed terminals 4i and 46. The upper pairs of contacts 57, 53 and 61, 66 are respectively secured to the underside of the ange 21 by the screws 29 used to secure the strip metal springs 23 in position as previously described.

The single contacts 56 and 59 of the lower set are secured (as shown in Figure 5) to the upper side of the removable end plate 23 of the carrier 19 respectively by screws 68 and 69, whilst the double sets of contacts 57', 58' and i, 61 are secured to the plate 23 respectively by screws 7G and 71.

It will be seen that the arrangement of the upper and lower sets of resilient contacts is such that the batteries 54 can each be slid, in an upright position, radially into place between, or be removed from between, a lower contact and the upper contact lying directly thereabove, the operation of the mounting or removing the batteries for replacement thus being extremely simple and the batteries, after having been inserted radially into the carrier 19, being firmly located between their spring contacts and in the iiutes 53. Each alternate battery is arranged so as to be inverted with respect to the preceding battery.

The two opposite ends 72 and 73 of the inductor coil of the lighter are respectively connected to the lower single contacts 56 and 59 and, as the upper single contacts 56 and 59 are respectively connected to the fixed terminals 45 and 46, it will be appreciated that, when the batteries 54 are placed Iin position in the carrier 19 as above described, there will be provided between the said two xed terminals 45 and 46 a continuous series electrical connection through the batteries and inductor coil, this electric circuit normally being open between the terminals 45 and 46.

However, on withdrawing the torch 48 from its normal position shown in Figure 3 and from the lighter, the flared end 5t) of the torch will (as clearly indicated in Figure 6) eventually engage and bridge the two ignition contacts 36 and 37 so that these are raised as the torch continues to be withdrawn.

Normally the second transverse arms 43 and 44 of the ignition contact springs 39, 40 will be clear (as shown in full lines in Figure 6) of the fixed terminals 45 and 46 so that the ignition contacts 36 and 37 are not in electric connection with the batteries and inductor of the lighter, but during the withdrawal of the torch from the lighter the ignition contacts 36 and 37 are raised and rotate the helical springs 39 and 46 a little in their bearing blocks 41 and 42 and thereby brinfy the arms 43 and 44 of these springs respectively into electrical contact with the fixed terminals 45 and 46.

When the flared end of the torch 48 brought the arms 43 and 44 of the contact spring coils into contact with the terminals 45 and 46, continued upward movement of the torch causes the springs 39 and 40 to be wound or torsionally deformed and thereby to be stressed or tensioned.

On the engagement of the arms 43 and 44 with the fixed terminals 45 and 46, the electric circuit through the batteries 54, the inductor coil, the ignition contacts, and torch is completed whereafter continued withdrawal of the torch will further raise and then release the ignition contacts 36 and 37 and so break the electric circuit thereof to create a spark or sparks which will ignite the volatiley fuel carried by the wick 52 ofthe torch, combustion being secured by air supplied to the vicinity of the ignition contacts 36, 37 via the ventilation grooves 35 of the socket 31.

When the ignition contacts 36 and 37 are released by the torch 48, the torsional stress in the coils of the springs 39 and 40 will be released and the transverse `arms 43 and 44 of these springs will move Idownwards away from the fixed terminals 45 and 46, the downward movement of these arms 43 and 44 being limited by insulating collars 74 (Figure 6) on the bolts 66 and 67 carrying the said terminals. When the torch 4S is replaced in the lighter it will push the ignition contacts 36 and 37 downwardly and thus ensure that the second arms 43 and 44 of the ignition contact springs 39 and 4t) move away from the fixed terminals 45 and 46, should they not already have sprung away from these terminals.

7 Y Ijn the Yembodiment of the invention illustrated' inthe drawingae'the six-dry batteries employed are each ll/a volt batteries, whilst'the inductor winding on the inductor spool comprises a plurality of turns of 27S. W. G. electrically insulated copper wire, the external diameter of the central tubular part of the spool being 13/32 andthe length of the spool between its anges being 1%6". The electrical connections are shown diagrammaticallyin Figure 8.

`It will, of course, be understood' that all the above mentioned contactsv and other electricity conducting parts of the lighter must be suitably mounted to ensure that the current from theV electric batteries 54 will follow the required path and'thisfis conveniently achieved by making the carrier 19, the socket 31 and the shell 1 ofV electrically insulating material. Preferably these parts are all moulded from/plastic material such as one of the synthetic resin plastics, and preferably at least the shell and the knob 1 of the torch, are made in attractive and, if desired, contrasting colours.

In electric lighters of the kind to which thijs invention relates, an important defect was that, after a period of time, the ignition contacts were likelyto become maladjusted (primarily due to the acquisition thereby of an en during set) with consequent bad sparking. This defect is overcome or lgreatly reduced in a lighter .according to c this invention by constructing the contacts as ,above described, i. e.V by making each ignition contact as one arm of a helical spring which is free to rotate within its4 mounting in the tubular socket 31 and which spring will, on operation of .the contact by the said torch, rotate until its second arm contacts one of the said lixed terminals 4,5,k 46-the spring thereafter being subjectrto winding up torsional deformation. As is known deformation of this type does not easily impart an enduringv s et to a spring and, in consequence, the ignition contactswiil not easily get out of adjustment underV any conditions of vnormal use.

VWe claim: r

1 An electric lighter including in combination an outer shell havingupper land under parts, said under part forming a fuel reservoir, said upper p art provided with a centralopening therein and detachably iitting said Vunder part, a tubular induction coil, a series of batteries, a tubular inset for carrying said inductor coil and said batteries, said carrier having a central bore registering with said opening, said under part cooperating withsaid carrier to close and peripherally seal said reservoir around said centrial bore, said inductor coil coaxially mountedV Within vSaid bore, cooperating means on said Vupper.part and on said carrier for maintaining a pressure seal between said car,-

rier' and saidunder part, electrical' conductor meansbe` tween said coil and said batteries disposed on saidcarrier, separate terminals disposed in saidupper partin open circuit relationship with said coil and said batteries, movable ignition contacts extending over the upper end of Vsaid bore disposed adjacent said terminals` and normally disconnected therefrom, a torch normally coaxially housed in said bore having a wick exposed at one end thereof in fuel assimilating relationship with said reservoir and an electrical conducting member disposed adjacent saidexposed wick, wherebyupon withdrawing said torch from said shell, said member engages said ignition contacts bringing them into engagement with saidp terminals thus closingthe circuit through said inductor to said batteries,

Y and creating Va spark for igniting said wickrby breaking the circuit when said contacts are released. Y

` 2v. A13-electric lighter according to claim Vl wherein said ignition contacts comprise a coiled metal spring having' transversely extending ends disposed at one .side of said bore and rotatable about an axis perpendicular` thereto,

whereby the withdrawing torch member engagingV one end.

of-said spring effects engagement o f said other spring end with said terminal and a torsional'deformation ,to said spring. A *Y ,Y u

L3. VAnelectric lighter according to claim 2', wherein the said coiled springs are each Vmounted in a recess in a arcani@ 5. An electric lighter according to claim 4, wherein the said annular means for peripherally sealing the upper end -ofv the said fuel Yreservoir comprises an annular shoulder` provided internallyv of the said? under part of the shell and extending therearound at the upper end of the reservoir, an annular outwardly directed peripheral ange onthe lower end of said tubular carrier, a resilient sealing ri-nglocated between said annular shoulderand said flange when the saidl tubular carrier isY in position in said underpart of the said shell, and means for pressing said tubular carrier towards saidf shoulder.

6. electric lighter according to claim 5, wherein the` said means for pressing the said tubular carriertowards the said. shoulder comprise resilient means -located `between` the upper part ofsaid shell and the upper parto the said tubular carrier and adapted to press the said carrier downwardlyv on to the said rlannular-"shoulder when the Vupper .part of the shell is applied tothe under part oflthe latter. y

41; An electric lighter according to claim -6, wherein` the said tubular carrier` 1is externally longitudinally -lnted to provide vertical pockets Vfor vertical reception of said batteries, and wherein metallic .electrical contacts are providedlat the-tippen and lower ends of said pockets for connecting said'batteries in series with'one another and with the said inductor coil.

V8 An electric lighter according to claim 7, wherein said vpockets are open` on their outer Isides to permit the radial insertion Ior withdrawal of the .said batteries into, or from, the lsaid pockets after removal ofthe tubular carrier from said shell, said contacts beingy so yformed and 'arranged as to permit the said batteries being Vslid into and 4out of contact therewith.

9. An elec-tric lighter having a manually-operable torch,

a ysparking cont-act, Van inductor coil unit, and a current vsupply source all electricallyl connected whereby upon withdrawal of said torch from the lighter the former is ignited by said sparking'contact; and including in combination, anouter shell comprising a pair of complementarycup shaped parts yadapted to be positioned with their mouths in abutting relation, one of said parts being provided with an opening `sealed by the handle portion of said torch-when the latter is in one position within said lighter whereby evaporation of fuel without the lighter lis avoided, a tubular carrier extending within said mouths of said cup shaped parts, said tubular carrier being provided with flanged end portions cooperating with the surface of said mouths of said Icup 'shaped parts to define a -rst chamber adapted-to receive the lighter fuel, a second chamber adapted to receive said sparking contact, and a third-chamber intermediate said irst yand lsecond chambers and adapted to receive said cur-rent supply source, the bore of said tubular carrier vbeing adapted to receive said inductor coil unit and communieating with said iirst and second chambers wherebyv said torch is adapted to receive the` lighter fuel-from said from communication with said rst chamber whereby evaporation of the lighter fuel within said inductor coil unit is avoided.

11. An electric lighter constructed according to claim 9, comprising absorbent material within said rst chamber, and wick means in engagement with said absorbent material, said wick means being resiliently urged against the end of said torch adapted to be ignited in said one position thereof.

l2. An electric lighter constructed according to claim 9, and wherein said sparking contact includes a pair of spring contacts secured for initial rotational movement and subsequent Winding movement for tensioning said springs `on said cylindrical carrier to thereby Iafford a lost motion connection when said torch is displaced from said 15 10 one position thereof whereby said sparking contact re'- mains permanently adjusted, and ignition of said torch occurs solely during withdrawal of 'said torch from said lighter to thereby prevent accidental ignition thereof.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 955,058 Dinger Apr. 12, 1910 1,029,723 Shea June 18, 1912 2,656,492 Faulkner Oct. 20, 1953 2,657,340 Rink et al Oct. 27, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 400,655 Germany Aug. 18, 1924 

